Rustyangel Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi all I'm hoping someone may have some suggestions here. I have seven rescue hens and they normally all lay each day. Last Saturday one of the girls had me very worried - she was hunched up, unsociable and not eating. I picked her up to inspect her and as I did so, some egg white came out of her vent. I realised the importance of encouraging the rest out and bought her inside and steamed her rear end for a while, managed to get some fluids down her then put her in a cat carrier in a quiet spot for a few hours. She looked awful - kept closing her eyes and lolling her head, nowhere near her usual cheeky self. After a few hours she perked up a bit and stood up in the carrier, at which point she passed the intact yolk and more egg white. There was no shell in sight. The following day she seemed perkier but her appetite wasn't great. I got hold of some limestone flour and managed to give her some, mixed with some crushed pellets in a little bio yoghurt. Since then she has returned to normal eating and normal behaviour but she is not laying. I've continued to give them all a sprinkling of limestone on their food. I am worming them again as a precaution and have sprayed them all against lice. Any suggestions what else I can do to get her laying again? Should I be concerned that she is not producing eggs? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you. Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Another Croydonite !!!, Hello from me , funny you should say this but my had similar symptoms then she laid a softie 9 days ago , and was really out of sorts , I wormed them all as a precaution and she is much better in herself eating drinking weeding my garden !!! , but still no eggs I have checked to see if egg bound but not from what I can feel and shows no interet in the nesting box , sorry to Hijack your post but would be interested to hear what the others have to say . and excited to see another croydon chook owner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Aw, bless her. I know passing a soft shelled/shell less egg really takes it out of a chook and that is why she looked so miserable. Glad she has had such great care. It sounds like you did all the right things. Any idea how old she is? It could be that she is coming to the end of her laying career. Or it might simply be that she is having a rest. Is she moulting? That sometimes stops them from laying too. Good luck with her. As long as she is happy and healthy eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustyangel Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 firstly, Hi Brown Clan and of course I don't mind you jumping on the thread! Maybe its something in the Croydon water eh? Nice to see someone else from Croydon too!!!!! Hi AnnieP - she is only a year and a half old. Mine we rescue hens - we got them from a farm at 1year old where they had become past their commercial best and were about to become dog food. She shouldn't be anywhere close to the end of her laying career and there is no sign of moulting. Still no eggs one week on, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that she improves soon. She is certainly back to her cheky self!!!! Thanks for your input Debs x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Hi Rusty Angel, hopfully she is just having a rest !!, I didn't get any eggs today from any of my girls hope they havn't gone on strike !!! maybe it is something in our water!! keep us posted on the situation hope she lays again for you soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
